Homecoming
by SD
Summary: Post-AWE. Ten years later, Will comes home for his one-day visit. What's in store for the Turner family now? Completely Willabeth with plenty of William III and Bootstrap Bill.
1. Glad to be Home

**Homecoming**

By S.D.

Chapter 1 – Glad to be Home

The soft sand felt strange under Will's boots after 10 years of wooden decks. As he stumbled from the water onto firm-packed sand, he wondered if he would spend his entire twenty-four hour stay on land stumbling and staggering like Jack Sparrow. He was forced to find his balance quickly, however, when Elizabeth launched herself into his arms. He felt as if his boots had taken root in the ground and would never let him leave this spot.

He immersed himself in the feeling of Elizabeth in his arms once more, the smell of her hair, the sound of her ragged breathing, the pounding of her heart against his still chest. How long they stood there like that, he had no idea. But eventually, his emotions calmed and he was able to open his eyes. He knew that somewhere on this beach, his son was also waiting for him, and he didn't want the boy to feel left out. Will pulled back slightly from Elizabeth, and raised his head to peer around. Sure enough, William was squatted down a few yards away, drawing in the wet sand, waiting for his parents to finish their amorous reunion.

Elizabeth realized that Will's attention had drifted from her to their son. She smiled nervously, hoping this meeting would as easy and fulfilling as possible for her two Williams.

William sensed his parents' gaze and lifted his head from his drawing. He wiped his sandy fingers on his trousers and stood up, looking hesitantly from his parents to the sand.

Will walked toward his son, one arm still wrapped tightly around Elizabeth's waist. He looked down at what William had drawn. It wasn't a picture at all, but words, written in clear print in the smooth sand. "Welcome home."

"Is that for me?" Will asked, his throat tight with emotion.

William nodded.

"Well, I certainly appreciate it. I'm glad to be home." Will extended his unoccupied hand toward his son, hoping beyond hope that the boy would accept it. William stepped carefully around the words in the sand and took his father's hand. Together, the three Turners made their way from the beach to their home.

The small family was strangely quiet on their walk back to the house. It seemed to Will that there was so much to say that the words simply would not come out. For her part, Elizabeth was enjoying the silence, feeling as if the moment had a magical quality that might evaporate if any of them spoke.

*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*

William had not wanted to go to bed.

"I don't want to miss anything." He had protested, his lower lip sticking out just as Will remembered Elizabeth's doing when she was a child.

"I promise, you won't miss anything." Elizabeth assured him. "Your father and I just want some time to talk and be together. Then tomorrow, we'll all get up early and spend the whole day together."

"Can I go see grandfather?" William asked.

"Of course, he'll be coming ashore to have lunch with us."

"And can I go on the Dutchman?" William directed his question to his father. "I want to see your ship."

"You certainly may. I'll have Boot – your grandfather give you a tour."

"Great!"

"So you might want to get some rest tonight. Tomorrow will be a very full day." Elizabeth said firmly.

"Alright then." William said resignedly, and flopped down on his bed.

Elizabeth kissed him goodnight, and Will stood by awkwardly. This would be his only chance to put William to bed, but he was afraid that William wouldn't welcome the attention.

As Elizabeth stepped away from her son's bed, he lifted his head slightly from the pillow.

"Umm… sir?"

Will realized that William was still struggling with what to call him.

"Yes?"

"You won't leave before I wake up, will you? You'll still be here in the morning, right?"

"No, son. I won't leave while you're asleep." Will knelt by William's bed and looked his son in the eyes – eyes so similar to his own that it was almost disconcerting. "I'll be here first thing in the morning and all day long. You know I have to leave tomorrow at sunset. But I promise, I won't leave without saying goodbye."

William reached out and grabbed his father's hand. "I'm glad you're home, even just for one day."

"Me too, William, me too."

William yawned just then, and Will stood, his hand still clasped by the smaller one. William's head dropped to the pillow, and Will could tell he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Go to sleep, son. I'll be here in the morning."

"Good night, sir." William said sleepily.

"Good night, William." Will said gently. "I love you."

Will slid his hand from William's and stepped quietly away from his now sleeping son.

When he turned toward Elizabeth, she could see his eyes glittering with tears in the candlelight. Her heart constricted as she knew it was the first, and last time Will would ever put his son to bed. By this time tomorrow, he'd be back on the Flying Dutchman, sailing away from them. And when he visited again, William would be nineteen years old, perhaps not even living at home by then.

Elizabeth snuffed the candle on William's washstand and picked up the one she'd brought in. She took her husband's hand and led him out of the room quietly. Will was silent as they passed through the hallway to the door leading to the patio.

The patio was like a courtyard, enclosed by the house on three sides. The third side faced the sea, although it was only a dark shimmering glint in the distance. There was a small garden beyond a low wall, where Will knew Elizabeth grew bougainvillea, hibiscus, assorted vegetables and a small lime tree. The air was fragrant with the scent of the garden and the sea. Inside the sheltered patio, the ground was paved with smooth stones. There were chairs grouped around several small tables, where Will could picture Elizabeth entertaining guests at tea. There were sconces on the outer walls of the house, and Elizabeth took her candle to light each one. It was truly a beautiful and peaceful retreat – the sort of place that Will had never had, but had always wanted not only for himself but for Elizabeth.

"Will, I'm sorry about William's insisting to call you "captain" and "sir." He's always referred to you as "father" and even "papa" when he was smaller. It never occurred to me that he'd have trouble once you were here."

"No, don't worry about it. When I was a lad, I always talked about my father, and I thought about things I would say to him, and I always imagined I would call him father. But in the ten years I've been with him on the Dutchman, I don't think I've ever called him that directly. Somehow, when he was something of an imaginary character, it was easier than when he is flesh and blood."

Will looked thoughtful for a few moments. "I suppose though, it's long overdue. If, after being here with William for just a few hours, I'm already longing for him to call me father… I imagine I know how Bootstrap must feel."

"I imagine," Elizabeth said carefully. "That he must feel extremely proud of you. You've changed so much since I saw you last."

Seeing Will's worried look, Elizabeth amended, "For the better, of course. I started to see it during the situation with Beckett, but now it's firmly taken root and grown in you."

"What has?"

"Confidence. It was something you always lacked as a child, and as a youth. It's what kept you always bound by convention, even if at times you wished to break free."

"I was brought up to know my place, which was beneath everyone else. Confidence was a luxury I couldn't afford."

"And why should that be the case? Because of your parentage? Because of your occupation? The qualities that make you a fine captain have always been a part of you. You've always had the ability to lead, it was just subdued under your sense of propriety."

"Which you always did your best to dismantle."

"Of course. I knew who you were, William Turner. I knew what you were capable of becoming. You just lacked the confidence to show it to anyone else."

"I often wonder, if this hadn't happened to me," Will gestured to his chest, "What would have happened to us? Would I have been able to go back to Port Royal – to the life I was living there? To the expectations placed upon us?"

"And?"

"I don't think so, Elizabeth. I don't believe I could ever have been the man your father wanted me to be."

"And neither would I have wanted you to. Of course we jumped through his hoops in order to gain his approval, but that life was never one I wanted for us, Will. It would have suffocated us both."

"It's a shame that just when we had freed ourselves from it, we found ourselves bound to a darker fate, and still unable to get what we really want."

"And what is it, Will Turner, that you want?"

"I've only ever wanted to stay by your side and raise our family together. I think I'd even be content to be a blacksmith again, if it meant that I could be with you and William."

"But the Dutchman needs a captain." Elizabeth said, with a touch of bitterness in her voice.

"The Dutchman needs a captain." Will paused thoughtfully. "I owe so much to Jack… he could have taken the Dutchman for himself… but he didn't. And because of him, I've had this day to look forward to every single day of the last ten years. And knowing that I'm doing it in order to be with you makes my bondage to the Dutchman easier."

"And fait'ful service must be rewarded, William Turner." An eerily familiar voice spoke from the garden.

Will's eyes widened and he saw Elizabeth's similar expression of recognition and surprise. "Calypso." He said quietly.

The familiar figure of Tia Dalma stepped from the shadows of the garden. "Service to de Flying Dutchman never meant to be a curse, but a responsibility. Davy Jones brought dat curse upon himself. But you.." She approached Will and looked him directly in the eye. He suppressed the urge to look away from her yellowed eyes, and submitted stoically to her scrutiny.

"You have done your duty," She stated firmly. "And fulfilled your obligation."

From beside him, Will heard Elizabeth gasp. "Fulfilled?" she whispered.

Tia Dalma ignored her. "Because you have returned to your true love, and she to you, you are free to remain with her."

Will felt his throat constrict. It sounded like Calypso was releasing him from his duty. But how was that possible? Surely there was some catch. "But the Dutchman?" Will asked, his voice shaking. "Who will take command?"

Tia Dalma sauntered away from him, and her hands flitted through the air. "Dere will always be men who love de sea more dan anyt'ing else. And so – de Dutchman will always have a captain."

Will grabbed Elizabeth's hand, and tried to remain composed. "And the crew?"

Elizabeth held her breath. She knew what he was really asking was what would happen to his father. His whole purpose in seeking out the heart of Davy Jones had been to free his father from the Dutchman. If that could not be accomplished, would he give up his own chance to be free, simply so that his father would not be left alone? He hadn't had to make that decision ten years earlier. His choices had been taken from him by Davy Jones' sword. But if presented with the question again, what would his choice be?

"Dey too are free, free to live out deir nat'ral lives on land, free to go on to de land beyond the horizon, free to continue to serve de Dutchman."

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed suspiciously. This seemed too good to be true. "What's the catch?"

The woman's dark eyes flashed at the suggestion that she was hiding something from them. "Dere be no catch. De sea has been corrupted for many years, untended, un-cared-for. But now I am putting everyt'ing right. I bind no one who does not bind demself willingly. And dose who fulfill deir obligations are set free. 'Tis only dose who take for demself and do not do deir part dat are cursed. Dey bring de curse upon demself."

The tension that had been building in Will's face seemed to finally lessen. "I'm really free?"

He laid his hand on his chest, feeling the scar where his heart was removed.

Tia Dalma looked at him with almost a tender expression. "It will be returned to you. If your love be fait'ful to you, you will live out your nat'ral life wit her, and den, when you are old and your children and grandchildren be grown, de Dutchman will come for you bot, to take you across the horizon togeder." She paused and her voice became stern again. "But if she leave you…"

Elizabeth answered fiercely. "There's no danger of that."

The goddess turned to Elizabeth and looked at her appraisingly. "No. I tink you bot know now what you truly want. Your hearts are no longer divided." She smiled and nodded. "You will live in peace." And with that, she stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

Elizabeth and Will stood peering out into the darkness for several moments trying to process everything that had just happened. Then Will grabbed Elizabeth forcefully by the waist. He spun her around, and she was surprised to see the intensity of his expression. He kissed her powerfully and deeply, and when they parted, he was smiling – no grinning – from ear to ear.

"I think I shall do that every night for the rest of my life."

"A life that will now be significantly shorter than it was to be yesterday."

"Elizabeth, immortality means nothing without you. I would rather spend one lifetime with you than face all eternity on the sea alone."

"I'm glad you feel that way. Because even one lifetime without you is far too long."

As the couple continued whispered affirmations of their love between passionate kisses, they failed to notice the small boy creeping away from his hiding place at the door of the patio.


	2. Morning's Light

**Homecoming**

By S.D.

Chapter 2 – Morning's Light

Will awoke the next morning to see the early morning rays peeking through the curtains of the bedroom's eastern window. His first thought was that there wouldn't be nearly enough time to do everything he wanted to do before he had to return to the Dutchman. Then he remembered the visit from Calypso the night before. Free. He was free. He placed his hand over the scar on his chest, and was disappointed to find no heartbeat beneath. He had hoped his heart would be somehow magically restored to him in the night. Would he have to cut his own chest open and physically return the heart to its place? The idea disturbed him, even though he knew that in his current state he could feel little pain. He certainly couldn't ask Elizabeth to do such a thing. Perhaps Bootstrap would do it…

At the thought of his father, Will remembered that the crew of the Dutchman would still have no idea that the curse was to be broken. He would need to tell them today so that those who would choose to return to mortal life could do so. He desperately hoped that his father would be among them.

So although he now had a lifetime to spend here with Elizabeth and William, the day would still be a busy one, so there was no time to waste lying in bed.

"Wake up, darling." He whispered gently to Elizabeth.

As she stirred and slowly opened her eyes, Will was once again entranced by how beautiful she was. They had spent much of the night becoming reacquainted and celebrating their love and the new life they would share together. A second wedding night. Will thought with a smile. How many couples have that opportunity?

"Oh Will, I thought I dreamed you were here."

"I'm here, love. And I'll be here every morning from now until we are both old and grey."

"I'm sure you will be a handsome old man. With beautiful white curls and wise old eyes."

"And you will be the most beautiful old woman the world has ever seen. And I will be here to watch as you become so."

*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*

When Will left Elizabeth as she was dressing, he wandered to the kitchen, looking forward to making some tea. He was surprised to find the kitchen table already occupied. William sat at the table, with his feet tucked underneath him, munching on bread smeared with too much butter, a plate with three fresh ripe mangoes in front of him.

"Do you like mangoes?" He asked as he saw his father pause in the doorway.

"I certainly do. And it's been a long while since I've had one."

"I thought so. That's why I picked one for each of us. If you want, I can pick one for you every day. We have a really big mango tree in front of the house."

It took Will a few moments to realize what William had said.

"Every day?"

William looked suddenly worried. "You _are_ staying, right?"

"Yes, I'm staying." Will smiled warmly at his son. His son that he would now have the privilege of watching grow up, with whom he could now have a real relationship. "But how did you..?"

William's face took on a guilty expression. "I woke up and went to find you, and I went out to the patio…"

"You were eavesdropping last night, hmm?"

"Not on purpose."

"Well, since what happened last night concerns you as much as it concerns your mother and me, I suppose it's a good thing you were listening in. But it's probably not wise to make a habit of listening to other people's conversations."

"I know."

"Well then, since you know that I'm able to stay, what do you think of it? Would you like me to stick around?"

"Yes sir, I really would like that."

"It's going to be different, William, and it might take some getting used to. "

"I know, but it will be _good_ different.".

"You're right. It will be good different."

William was showing his father around the kitchen, helping him make tea and set the table when Elizabeth arrived in the kitchen. She stood in the doorway, silently watching father and son as they worked together for the first time.


	3. Choices

**Homecoming**

By S.D.

Chapter 3 – Choices

As the family approached the hidden cove where the Dutchman was anchored, Will stopped their progress and crouched down to meet William's eye level. "William, I want you to go have a tour of the Dutchman with your grandfather. Your mother and I need to talk about some things, and I need to see that the crew gets the supplies they'll need."

William looked at him hesitantly. He had hoped his father would give him the tour himself. But he hadn't met his grandfather yet, so maybe that would be good. "Alright."

" But I want you to do something for me. Don't mention that I'll be staying. I need to tell my father and the crew myself, but not quite yet. Can you keep it a secret?"

William suddenly understood that he was to be the distraction for his grandfather, not the other way round. "Yes, I can do that."

Will clapped the boy on the shoulder. "Good boy. Have a good time and we'll see you in a little while."

The two proud parents watched as William ran toward where several members of the crew were relaxing on the beach.

Will turned toward his wife. "Elizabeth, I want to ask you something."

Taking his hand she replied, "Anything, Will."

"I've been thinking…" He started hesitantly. "Once my father is free, I don't know what he'll want to do, but I'd like to be able to offer him… if you're willing… "

Elizabeth squeezed his hand reassuringly. "You want to ask him to stay. Of course, Will. I know how much freeing him means to you, and I know you've grown close these last ten years. William's never had a grandparent… I see no reason not to ask him to stay."

Releasing a sigh of relief, Will said, "I just don't want to impose any burdens on you. As it is, you and William will have to adjust to having another person in the house, I feel bad to ask you to take in two."

Elizabeth lifted an eyebrow incredulously. "Gracious Will, it's not like you or your father are unwelcome houseguests. You're family. Of course it will be an adjustment, but I'd much rather deal with the small irritations of bringing you and your father into our lives than facing any more time without you."

Will nodded appreciatively. "I know that. It's just, everything has happened so quickly, and I never want you to think that I'm making decisions without you. We went down that road once, and I'd rather not do it ever again."

"Agreed. From now on, we make our decisions together. I appreciate your thoughtfulness Will." She released his hand and playfully pushed on his shoulder. "Now, go… take care of your ship and your father."

A pensive look crossed Will's face and he gazed out toward the ship in the bay. "It's strange to think that she won't be my ship after this evening."

Elizabeth looked at her husband with concern. "Will you miss being captain?"

"To be honest, I think I might." He turned to face his wife, placing his hands on her narrow shoulders and gazing into her eyes. But it's well worth it to give it up to be here with my family."

*POTC*POTC*POTC*POTC*POTC*POTC*

Will scanned the familiar deck of the Flying Dutchman, looking for his son and his father. Finally, he spotted them with Mr. Ward, peering over the starboard railing. No doubt William was getting a look at the cannon bays below.

Will called to his father "Bootstrap!"

The older man patted young William on the shoulder and went to join Will, who was motioning him to join him in his cabin.

"Will! That son of yours is a fiery lad. Right good sailor too from what I can tell. Knew his way around the ship, told me about all the knots he can tie. He was mighty impressed with your cabin, all the pictures and swords and carvings."

Will smiled broadly. "He's a wonderful little boy. I had tried to imagine what he would be like, but none of my daydreams compare with what it's like to really be here with him."

The older man looked at his own son fondly. "I know the feeling, Will."

Will felt a surge of affection for his father, and thought of the good times they had shared over the last ten years. Surely Bootstrap would leap at the opportunity to spend more time with his son and grandson. But in the corner of Will's mind, there was doubt. It was that doubt that caused his hesitation. "Listen, there's something important I need to speak with you about… "

Bill looked at him curiously. "What's that, son?"

Will steeled himself and explained. "Calypso paid us a visit. She says my service to the Dutchman is over."

Bootstrap nodded, almost as if he had expected the answer. "Things are going back to how they should be. That's good news."

" I can stay here," Will said, his awe obvious in his voice. "with Elizabeth and William."

Bill nodded again. "As it should be. You'll be a good father to William, like I never was to you." The older man tried to tell himself he was happy with the outcome. After all, it's what he had hoped for the last ten years. But knowing that Will would be leaving the Dutchman left Bill with an unexpected sense of loss.

Will brushed off his father's self-deprecation. "You've been a good father the last ten years. You've made me a good captain. I couldn't have done it without you."

Bootstrap sighed. "I done what I could."

Will caught his father's eye and spoke forcefully. "Stay with us. You'll be a good grandfather to William. I'll teach him to make swords. You can teach him more about sailing."

The older man shook his head sadly. "You know as well as I do that I don't belong among the livin'. I don't think I could stay, even if… "

Will cut him off. "Calypso said the whole crew is free. Free to pass on, free to remain on the Dutchman, or to return to the living world. There's no reason you can't stay."

Bootstrap turned away from his son and paced across the room. "I don't know, Will. Staying in one place has never really appealed to me. I was born for the sea."

"Elizabeth has a fishing fleet." Will said desperately. "You can captain your own boat. Or join the crew of the Empress. You'll be free to go wherever you want, instead of stuck here on the Dutchman."

"I feel like my time on the Dutchman has given me meaning in life. A purpose."

"And being with your family has no meaning?" Will said, his hope fading.

His father looked at him sadly, clearly troubled by Will's statement. "Ah, Will. You know that's not true. These past ten years have been the best in my life."

The young captain was silent for several moments, wishing he could come up with the perfect argument to convince his father to stay, but knowing that there was nothing. It was up to his father now. Finally he spoke, his words low and sorrowful.

"There isn't much time. The Dutchman will leave at sunset. I hope you'll consider staying. But if you decide to go, I'll understand."

*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*

Bootstrap watched his son turn and walk away. The younger man's shoulders slumped in a way that Bill hadn't seen in a long time. Years of leadership had turned Will from an insecure youth into a confident man. Could it be that the change was in part due to his father's encouraging influence? Could it be that Will truly needed him?

_I need you, father. _

His son's words rang in his ears. Will hadn't called him father, not even once, all these years. Bill was suddenly reminded of a tiny boy of four, standing on a dock in England.

"Can I go with you, papa?" The boy asked plaintively.

"Not yet, maybe when you're older."

"Yes, sir." The boy answered in disappointment. "When will you come back?"

"I dunno, son. Maybe not for a long time. I got business to take care of."

"Come back soon, papa. I need you."

"You don't need me, Will. You're the man of the house now; you take care of your momma."

With that, Bill Turner had climbed aboard the waiting ship and sailed off. He looked back only briefly to see the little boy standing stoop-shouldered on the dock, trying desperately not to let the gruff sailors around him see him cry.

*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*

Will had inspected the ship, and was finishing his farewells to various crewmembers when his father hurried up to him and grabbed his shoulder.

"Will! I'm coming with you."

Will heaved a sigh of relief that he could not hold back. "What changed your mind?"

"Well, I realized it wasn't the Dutchman that had given me a purpose. It was you. I tried to make my own way in life, and left you and your mother behind. That decision led me into one pit after another. And by some lucky turn of fate, I was given a second chance. I'm not going to waste it. I'll not sail away without you again."


	4. Farewells

**Homecoming**

By S.D.

Chapter 4 – Farewells

Will and Bootstrap were to be the only crewmembers leaving the Dutchman. Will had ceded command to a man who had sailed on the Dutchman for nearly nine years. He had proven himself to be faithful to the Dutchman's purpose, and he had a genial nature that earned him the admiration of even the newest crewmen. Will didn't know when or how Calypso intended to instate a new captain, but Mr. Bartels would do a fine job in the interim.

The farewells between the captain, the first mate and the crew had been bittersweet. The camaraderie built over the years on the Dutchman left each crewmember both sad at their captain and first mate's departure but at the same time they were happy for them to finally be reunited with their family. The whole crew was aware that although he had thrown himself into his duty with vigor and enthusiasm, Will Turner's heart, figuratively and literally was always with Elizabeth. He had become a fine seaman and leader, but it was not his passion. Many men live to sail the seas and return to port only out of necessity. Will Turner was not one of those men.

Bootstrap had once considered himself to be of that sort, but time had changed him. He remembered fondly the years he had sailed as a young man under various captains, both merchant and pirate. And he looked back with even more fondness the short time he spent mentoring a young sailor named Jack Sparrow. But it had all come at a price. He had never gotten to know his own son, and because of his own misjudgments, he had ended up cursed – not once, but twice. Serving under his once-abandoned son had been true redemption for Bill Turner. And now, he realized, true freedom did not come from sailing wherever the wind blows next. It comes from finding your purpose in life and sticking to it – even when it is difficult.

Will had known his purpose was to be with Elizabeth, and captaining the Dutchman faithfully was a means to that end. For Bootstrap, looking back he could see that he was most fulfilled when he was passing on his knowledge, wisdom and encouragement – first to Jack, and then to Will. And now, he could see that this purpose was taking him away from the sea, to continue mentoring his son and to begin the same process with his grandson. If it was adventure he had first sought, when he left home as a young man to become a sailor, he had found it. Not in sailing both known and unknown waters, or gathering the worlds treasures to himself, but in immersing himself in relationships, and gathering loved ones about him.

As the crew gathered on deck to salute their captain one last time, Bootstrap took young William's hand and led him to the quarterdeck, where he had a commanding view of the crew, the beach and the horizon.

"Listen here, William. I've got something important to say to you. You see all those men salutin' yer father, and payin' him respect? Some o' those men made pretty poor choices in life, but yer father gave 'em a second chance. Every time he took a new crew member aboard, he gave this little speech about honor and purpose, and he made 'em promise to do their best and stick to the purpose of the Flying Dutchman. That's what made 'im a good captain. He didn't rant an' rave an' strike fear into their hearts. Nah. He just told 'em what he expected of 'em. But those pretty speeches would've been empty words if he hadn't lived by those words every day. Everyday, he showed 'em what honor, integrity an' diligence really meant. That is why yer father is the best captain any o' those men have ever sailed under.

"But, boy, here's my point… bein' a captain is what yer father does. Or what he has been doing. It's not what he is. If he goes back to blacksmithin' that changes nothin'. Some men believe that their occupation makes 'em who they are. But yer father has never been defined by his occupation. Who he is, who he really is, is more about his character than anything else. He's a good man, yer father. Good through and through. An' I think all of that comes from one fact. He loves. He cares. He has compassion. Everything he does, it's all out of love for others. He loves yer mother, so he's faced many a danger to keep her safe. He loves me, an' much as I hate to admit it, it's because of that that he ended up on the Dutchman. He loves you, an' that's why he's back here now, an' that's why he'll be stayin'.

"I once thought that goin' to sea would make me happy. I was lookin' for adventure and purpose. What I didn't realize was that the real adventure, an' the real purpose in life ain't out there." Bootstrap gestured to the horizon. "It's wherever yer heart truly lies. Yeh know yer father's heart is in the Dead Man's Chest, in yer mother's keepin'. But that's not what brought him back here. He's here because this is where he is meant to be. This is where he belongs. Belonging, boy… that's an important thing. We all want to feel like we belong somewhere. Why do men sign articles or enlist in the navy? Not just fer the job… it's to be part of something, to belong somewhere. Why does Captain Jack chase after the Black Pearl when he could have any ship he wanted? Because the Black Pearl is where he belongs. When he's not on the Pearl, 'e's not at home, he doesn't belong. Yer father, he belongs with yer mother. When he's not with her, he's not complete.

"Me… it took me many long years to figure out where I belong. An' the answer is.. here. I belong with yer father, and yer mother, an' you. My family… that's my purpose. That's my adventure. That's where my heart truly lies. An' I hope that you feel the same way, young William. Yer family is where you belong. Yer family is big – it's not just yer mother an' father an' me. Yeh got uncles all over the world, Jack, Gibbs, Teague, Tai Huang, even Barbossa. An' yeh got aunts an' uncles an' cousins here on this island who have watched yeh grow up. That's yer family, boy. An' that's where yeh belong. Yeh might go off piratin' or yeh might take over yer father's smithy, but who yeh are, an' where yeh belong… that's what's always in yer heart. So yeh always have ta listen to yer heart to know what's right. Yer father'll teach yeh how. He's good at it."

William stood the whole time, listening to his grandfather's heartfelt words and watching his father say his farewells to the crew of the Dutchman. He realized this was an important moment, and felt a little overwhelmed. He tried to listen carefully to his grandfather, but his head was whirling. In the months and years that followed, though, Bootstrap's words came back to him from time to time, reminding him of what was most important, and he realized how lucky he was to have people like his father and grandfather in his life.

*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*potc*

Bootstrap and William moved quietly from the quarterdeck as Will signed the ship's logs over to the new captain, Bartels. Bootstrap hurried his grandson down the gangplank and over to where Elizabeth was waiting. She wrapped one arm around William and put the other gently across her father-in-law's shoulders. They watched as Will shook Bartels' hand and turned to gaze over the ship and crew one more time. He said something to the crew that his family couldn't hear, and then he turned away and walked down the gangplank. As his feet touched the sand, the gangplank was raised and the crew went about the business of getting the ship underway. Elizabeth, William and Bootstrap welcomed Will into their huddle and they all hugged silently. Bootstrap looked questioningly at his son, knowing that Will would want to stay until the Dutchman was completely out of sight.

"William," Elizabeth said finally breaking the silence. "Why don't you show your grandfather the way home? Your father and I will be along shortly."

Will nodded his agreement, and Bootstrap took his grandson's hand again. "Alright, boy." The older man said gruffly. "Show me where I'm to be living."

As the older and younger Turners moved off away from the beach, Elizabeth and Will stood silently watching the Dutchman's sails drop into place, each cast in the rosy light of the setting sun.

"She's a beautiful ship, Will." Elizabeth said, trying to express her pride in her husband.

"Not nearly so beautiful as you." Will drank in her image, the sunset turning every feature into a work of art.


End file.
